Sheep repair

Submitted by Jim on 08/01/2002. ( ) 209.165.173.141

I live in Alaska and there have been recent changes to sheep regulations where I live (Unit 23). Politics have struck and the local decision makers have decided that there shall be no sheep trophies taken from the area. When a sheep is killed, skull and horns must be checked in within 30 days. To destroy the "trophy" value four inches will be cut off from the base of one of the horns.

Now my question, if I'm lucky enough to get one this year what can I do so a taxidermist can repair the damage?

Sheep Repair

Jim, if you've got 30 day's to check in your sheep, take it to your taxidermist as soon as you get it and have him make a rubber mold of the base of the horns for the first 6 inches or so, that way they can pour a reproduction of the base that will be cut off and you can have an exact replica piece to fit.

Hmmmmmmm, 30 days

This response submitted by George on 08/01/2002. ( georoof@aol.com ) 64.12.96.104

Now there's a law inviting honest citizens to become criminals. In 30 days I could be a long way off, I suppose. Contact the Alaska Taxidermists Association and let them know of your situation. There ARE avenues they can take and begin the process of stopping the destruction of wild game trophies.

Business as usual

This response submitted by Dan S. on 08/01/2002. ( ) 65.120.218.66

Once again the honest sportsman loses out, and the dishonest poachers go about business as usual. When are law makers going to realize that we don't need more laws, just the enforcement of the ones that already exist.

What a bunch of full-tilt Bozos!

This response submitted by LT on 08/01/2002. ( ) 209.240.222.131

What the hell is going up there? Every time I turn around I hear of some asinine law the Alaska fish and game dept.has instituted!Are those commisioners appointed by the governor? If so,you need to vote your dumbass governor out of office.I just dont see the logic or rationing behind mutilating a trophy set of horns.Sounds like the lunatics are running the asylum up there.Man,and I thought our Texas Parks and Wildlife dept was bad! Unbelievable.

Who's the criminal here

This response submitted by Ron on 08/01/2002. ( ) 205.231.189.199

My God! I have never heard of anything so stupid. As I have stated in the past on this forum the same mentality that runs washington runs the game and fish dept. Total inbreeding. First cousins hell, this is brother and sister stuff. Do they think poachers are going to turn in their horns. This only makes illegal horns MORE valuble. Come on guys! Theres got to be a way to stop this S#$T. Jim, if you can post any adresses, phone numbers, ect, senators, Gov. ect, I personaly will right some nasty letters. I am going to Alaska in a few weeks moose hunting but if this is the way they will start treating honest sportsmen they will not get any more of my money. If this goes through I would consider a class action law suite for anyone effected for reembersment of the cost of the hunt and the trophy. This is like smashing up everybody's car so they will have no value, so bad guys can't steal and sell them. No damb sense at all. Ron

I should explain a little more

This response submitted by Jim on 08/01/2002. ( ) 209.165.173.112

Since this is a small town hopefully I won't get into trouble. I'll make this as short and politically correct a story as possible. This is a "subsistence" hunt. Only residents who have lived in the area at least a year can hunt. Last year an individual who happens to have a plane and lives in the area shot a sheep. He then got a proxy permit and shot another one to give away to an Elder. Later in the season he gave a friend a plane ride who also shot one. So within a years time he accounted for three sheep. Since not everyone can afford planes in the area this was unfair to the rest of the population. Instead of outlawing planes they decide to destroy the "tropy value" Everything he did was legal but it ticked off the local game board members. They are the ones who voted to make sure nobody hunted for tropies again in this particular area. This area only has 20 permits available but it may be the last chance I have for a sheep. By the way in this area they will also destroy muskox tropies.

Wanted to make sure everyone understood that this was just one specific area of the state and that the whole state hadn't gone bonkers.

Doesn't matter

This response submitted by Ron on 08/01/2002. ( ) 205.231.189.221

It still needs to be stopped. If they don't want big rams killed thats fine. Just restict permitts to ewes or quater curl rams. But don't destroy a fine animal just because of one guys mistake. If you would like help, there are enough hell raisers here to do it. Ron

oh ya

This response submitted by buckshot on 08/01/2002. ( ) 205.188.209.173

im am in high school young dumb and always ready and willin to get into a good fight.im with ya buddy all the way if you need help

Not sure what can be done

This response submitted by Jim on 08/01/2002. ( ) 209.165.173.112

I agree it a shame. Not sure what can be done because the land is national parks land which means the state fish and game doesn't have a say in the matter it all rests on the National Park service. Thus the local board can call the shots. When and if there are enough sheep the board may in the future open it up to "sport hunting" which means the state fish and game would then have a say in the matter. Three years ago the state opened it up to hunting by drawing. Permits were awarded. Local board decided they didn't want non-residents coming in to hunt the area. A month before season the board shut it down.

I would think it wouldn't matter what was done with the horns as long as meat wasn't wasted. After all one should use every useable part of an animal. I've never seen as much wanton waste as I've seen since the last few years while living up here. Outsiders aren't responsible for most of it either.